It has been disappointing in the last few days to see the lack of respect that some of the Labour politicians on the right of the caucus have for the policy of restraint requested by the party.
Vindictive attacks by David Shearer before and after David Cunliffe decided not to challenge the leadership contrast rather strongly with the restraint shown after Shearer stood down in 2013. As does the ill-informed and outright silly attack by Clayton Cosgrove on this public forum frequented by many party members discussing the leadership in a moderately civilized fashion.
I have been restraining myself to the point of actually unusually pulling a post. I have trashed several that I have written in the past weeks. I know that other authors here who are in the Labour party have similarly been restraining themselves. So have most of the people in comments despite their obvious frustrations.
But clearly, some parts of caucus consider themselves not to be so constrained. Much of the usual destructive leaking and often anonymous sniping attacks from parts of the Labour caucus have clearly continued. It is like they simply cannot control themselves.
After this leadership round is finished, I suspect that the Labour members are going to have to look at ways to make Labour policies like that on leadership battles much more binding on MPs. The type of undermining on display by the people in the Labour party is exactly what makes the voters quite reluctant to trust a Labour cabinet.
I’m not that interested in having another round of unanswered stupid lying about the actions of left blogs by Labour MPs. As usual it seems to be most prevalent among those who are simply too lazy to get involved with and to learn about social media.
I do find it fascinating that Clayton Cosgrove, in my view probably the most notorious unruly and destabilizing anonymous leaker in the Labour caucus chooses to make his attacks on the named authors of this site as being anonymous. Most of his ire is leveled at those like myself are very well known. We’re hardly anonymous. But the irony is probably something he will have difficulty understanding.
In the meantime, I have to say that the campaigns of David Parker, Andrew Little, and Grant Robertson have been remarkably restrained. As far as I can see their campaigns and even their supporters haven’t been indulging in any of the underhanded stupidity that the right of the caucus have been becoming infamous for.
Hopefully I will have some time to go to Grant Robertson’s Thursday launch for some blogging on his intentions. If I don’t then could someone who is there do so on the details of what he is proposing to do.
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